Ice dispensers have been used in conventional household refrigerators for many years. Such dispensers can include an external discharge opening formed on a door of the refrigerator convenient for a user to fill a glass with ice without opening the door. An ice bin is typically provided that receives and stores ice cubes from an ice maker. When dispensers are present, ice can be transferred to an opening in communication with a chute. The ice is transferred through the chute to the discharge opening. In order to move ice pieces to the opening and chute, a horizontal wire auger having a helically coiled portion is positioned lengthwise in the ice bin. The rear end of the wire auger is connected to a driving motor.
The driving motor includes a base which receives the ice bin and ensures that the auger is properly seated against the driving motor and that the ice bin opening is properly seated in the chute. Alternatively, when ice is not dispensed through an ice dispenser, a base is still present to ensure that an ice bin is properly seated in the refrigerator. However, the ice bin must also be capable of being repeatedly removed from and reinserted onto the base and the refrigerator by a user. Unfortunately, conventional base components make ice bin removal and reinsertion difficult and inconvenient.
Accordingly, an ice bin assembly that allows for easier removal and reinsertion of an ice bin would be desirable. A refrigerator incorporating such an ice bin assembly would be particularly useful.